Tq Module 4 & 5

Front 1

axon

Back 1

- long, tube-like structure along which electrical signals (the action potential) are conducted
- responds to input from the dendrites and soma
-transmits a neural message down its length and then passes its information on to other cells

Front 2

dendrite

Back 2

branch out from soma
-receive input from other neurons through receptors on their surface

Front 3

soma

Back 3

cell body

Front 4

myelin sheath

Back 4

fatty coating surrounding the axon
-insulation for the electrical impulses carried down the axon and speeds up the rate at which electrical information travels down the axon

Front 5

nodes of Nanvier

Back 5

-small gaps between myelin
-help speed up neural transmission

Front 6

synaptic terminals

Back 6

-knobs at the end of the axon from which neurotransmitters are released into the synapse (gap between terminal buttons of one neuron and dendrites of another neuron)

Front 7

synaptic vessicles

Back 7

- where neurotransmitter are housed

Front 8

resting potential

Back 8

-electrical charge of a neuron at rest: -70 mv charge found inside neuron
-no action potential is occurring

Front 9

action potential

Back 9

referred as nerve impulse; +30 mv
-neuron “fires”, causing permeability of cell membrane to changeallows electrically charged ions to enter cell
-travels down axon to terminal buttons where it causes release of a neurotransmitter
-“all or nothing” event
(analogous to pulling the trigger of a gun)

Front 10

All or nothing response

Back 10

-sufficient input: neuron reaches firing thresholdonce reached there is a point of no return
-nerve impulse triggered and a wave of activity (action potential) travels down axon

Front 11

excitatory vs. inhibitory signals

Back 11

stimulate the firing of messages vs. slowing the transmission of neural messages

Front 12

synapse

Back 12

gap between the terminal buttons of one neuron and the dendrites of another neuron
-location of neurotransmitter entry

Front 13

neurotransmitter

Back 13

released by terminal buttons
-chemical messengers
-bind the receptors on subsequent dendrites
-carry information that is the foundation of behaviors and mental processes
-excitatory or inhibitory

Front 14

agonists

Back 14

Mimics the action of a neurotransmitter

Front 15

antagonist blocker

Back 15

-a drug that blocks the action of a neurotransmitter

Front 16

glial cells

Back 16

guide the growth developing neurons
-help provide nutrition for and get rid of wastes of neurons
-form insulating sheath around neurons that speeds conduction

Front 17

afferent neuron: sensory

Back 17

carries information from the sense to CNS (brain)

Front 18

efferent neuron: motor

Back 18

carries motor commands from CNS to muscles and glands

Front 19

interneuron

Back 19

transmits impulses b/t sensory & motor neurons

Front 20

peripheral nervous system (PNS)

Back 20

part of the nervous system
-comprises of all nerves except the brain and spinal cord
-contains the somatic and autonomic system and the sympathetic and parasympathetic system

Front 21

central nervous system

Back 21

-part of the nervous system - consists of the brain and spinal cord

Front 22

autonomic nervous system

Back 22

controls the non-skeletal or smooth muscles
-heart, digestive track
-involuntary control
-further divided into sympathetic and parasympathetic

Front 23

sympathetic nervous system

Back 23

responsible for the physiological arousal: fight or flight reaction
-emergency system
- antagonistic with parasympathetic system

Front 24

parasympathetic nevous system

Back 24

complementary opposite system responsible for conserving energy
-works to return you to balance
-antagonistic with sympathetic system

Front 25

adrenal glands

Back 25

-stressful situations cause the pituitary gland to -secrete epinephrine (adrenaline) and norepinephrine (noradenaline)
-results in fight or flight reactions

Front 26

pituitary

Back 26

-“master gland”
-releases hormones which control hormonal release by other glands
-located under the part of the brain that control it: the hypothalamus

Front 27

thyroid

Back 27

regulates cellular metabolism
-specializes in growth and metabolism

Front 28

lesion studies

Back 28

precise destruction of brain tissue
-enables more systematic study of the loss of function resulting from surgical removal, cutting of neural connections, or destruction by chemical applications

Front 29

ablation

Back 29

-study of loss of function resulting from surgical removal of portions of the brain

Front 30

EEG

Back 30

measures subtle changes in brain electrical activity through electrodes placed on the head
-allow for localization of functions in the brain

Front 31

CAT scan

Back 31

generate cross sectional images of the brain through an X-ray like technique

Front 32

PET scan

Back 32

-capture the brain as it is working
-provide images via diffusion of radioactive glucose in the brain
-more glucose used in an area of brain, the more active of an area
-allows psychologists to observe what brain areas are at work during various tasks and psychological events

Front 33

MRI

Back 33

uses magnetic resonance to generate highly detailed pictures of the brain - only captures a “snapshot”